AP® PSYCHOLOGY

2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 1
Rachel is an excellent high school student who earns high grades in challenging classes. She has recently
been hired as a part-time lab assistant at a medical clinic. She is concerned that the job will affect her school
performance.

Part A
Provide a specific example that clearly illustrates how each of the following would inhibit Rachel’s success
at her new job.
• Stereotype threat
• Adrenal glands
• Lack of REM sleep

Part B
Provide a specific example that clearly illustrates how each of the following would enhance her
performance as a student with a challenging academic schedule.
• Distributed practice
• Reciprocal determinism
• Self-efficacy

General Considerations
1. Answers must be presented in sentences, and sentences must be cogent enough for the meaning of
the response to come through. Spelling and grammatical mistakes do not reduce the score of a
response, but spelling must be close enough that the reader is convinced of the word.
2. Do not score any notes made on the question section of the booklet. Score only what has been
written in the blanks provided in the booklet.
3. Definitions alone will not score, but they may be used to enhance the application.
4. Within a point, a student will not be penalized for misinformation unless it directly contradicts correct
information that would otherwise have scored a point. A correct application with incorrect definition
is not considered a direct contradiction and should score the point.
5. Rubric examples provided for each point are not to be considered exhaustive.
6. Responses that simply parrot or repeat the terms from the question will not score.
7. A response can score point only if it clearly conveys what part of the question is being answered. It is
possible to infer what part of the question is being answered if it is consistent with the order of the
question.

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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 1 (continued)

Part A: Responses must refer to inhibiting job performance, not school performance for points 1, 2, and 3.

Point 1
Stereotype Threat:

Responses should explain that Rachel’s job performance may be inhibited if she is confronted with or aware
of stereotypical beliefs that the new job is difficult for a specified population/category to which Rachel
belongs (gender, age, or ethnicity).

Examples:

• If Rachel is told that high school students aren’t mature enough to work in a medical setting, she
may question her own ability and begin to make mistakes in the lab.
• Because Rachel knows that more men work in the medical field, she may think that she may not
be as good as male lab assistants and decide to quit her job.

Do not score: Examples of discrimination or stereotypes.

Point 2
Adrenal Glands:

Responses should explain that adrenal gland activity could inhibit Rachel’s performance. If she becomes too
aroused, or is not aroused enough, her performance will be impaired (nervousness, anxiety, stress).

Note: Students do not have to specify a hormone.

• Rachel’s anxiety about her job causes her adrenal glands to release hormones, which will lead to
a heightened state of arousal making it harder for her to concentrate on her job.
• If Rachel’s adrenal glands are not secreting enough noradrenaline, she may lack the alertness she
needs to perform her job properly.
• Rachel’s adrenal glands increase how stressed she feels, which makes it hard for her to focus
at work.

Point 3
Lack of REM Sleep:

Responses should explain that Rachel’s REM stage of sleep is key for forming and consolidating new
memories. Without REM sleep, she will have trouble processing and recalling information important to her
job performance.

Note: The impairment should not be due to sleep deprivation alone.

Examples:

• Without REM sleep, Rachel will have difficulty processing what she learned earlier that day and
makes mistakes at work.
• When asked to perform a procedure, Rachel’s lack of REM sleep will interfere and cause her to be
unable to remember how to do it.

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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 1 (continued)

Part B: Responses must reflect enhanced performance at school, job or in another setting.

Point 4
Distributed Practice:

Responses must indicate studying that is spaced out or spread out over multiple time periods for enhanced
school or job performance.

Score: “spacing effect,” “not cramming”

Examples:

• Rachel studied the material a little bit each day during the semester.
• Rachel studies in intervals, which helps her remember the material better.

Do NOT Score:

• Rachel studied the material over a long period of time.

• References to grouping or chunking without an indication of spaced practice over time.
• “Spaced out” or “spread out” her studying, without indicating multiple time periods.

Point 5
Reciprocal Determinism:

Responses must include ALL three elements, indicating enhanced school or job performance:
1) Personal Factors (self-cognitions, feelings, biological predispositions)
2) Behaviors
3) Environmental setting

Examples

• Because Rachel is conscientious, she organizes her study time efficiently, which allows her to
work longer hours at the clinic, so she learns procedures more quickly at work.
• Rachel is an extravert, which makes it easy for her to approach others, so she often seeks out
teachers for help at school. This improves her understanding of the material.

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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 1 (continued)

Point 6
Self-Efficacy:

Responses must reflect a belief (knowledge, expectancy) in one’s ability to perform a behavior or task,
which would help her succeed at school or job.

• Rachel knows that she will be able to balance school and work, which leads to greater success.
• Rachel believes that she can learn anything so she masters tasks quickly in the lab.

Do NOT score: self-confidence, efficiency, self-esteem, or internal locus of control without reference to
a belief.

Example:
• Rachel was confident she knew the material for the test, which led her to spend more time in
the clinic.
• Rachel is efficient and manages her time well.

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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 2
Thirty-year-old Kent found a bag containing several thousand dollars in a park. He is discussing with his
family whether to give the money to the appropriate authorities or to keep the money.

Explain how each of the following psychological concepts could influence Kent’s decision-making process.
• Prefrontal cortex
• Postconventional moral reasoning
• Antisocial personality disorder
• Evolutionary psychology
• Cognitive dissonance
• Incentive theory
• Groupthink

General Considerations
1. Answers must be presented in sentences, and sentences must be cogent enough for the meaning of
the response to come through. Spelling and grammatical mistakes do not reduce the score of a
response, but spelling must be close enough that the reader is convinced of the word.
2. Do not score any notes made on the question section of the booklet. Score only what has been
written in the blanks provided in the booklet.
3. Definitions alone will not score, but they may be used to enhance the application.
4. Within a point, a response will not be penalized for misinformation unless it directly contradicts
correct information that would otherwise have scored a point. A correct application with incorrect
definition is not considered a direct contradiction and should score the point.
5. Rubric examples provided for each point are not to be considered exhaustive.
6. Responses that simply parrot or repeat the terms from the question will not score.
7. A response can score point only if it clearly conveys what part of the question is being answered. It is
possible to infer what part of the question is being answered if it is consistent with the order of the
question.
8. To score, each concept must be discussed in the context of Kent’s deciding to either keep or return
the money.

© 2017 The College Board.

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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 2 (continued)

Point 1
Prefrontal cortex:

Responses should describe at least one example of a prefrontal cortex function (e.g., planning, reasoning,
decision making, judgement, attention, empathy) and tie it to Kent’s situation.
SCORE
Example:
• “By deciding to keep the money, Kent is using his prefrontal cortex, which is used for decision
making.”
DO NOT SCORE
Example:
• “Prefrontal cortex is the ability to make good decisions.”
NOTE: If decision making is used, the function and application should be distinct. Responses in which some
non-brain area is responsible for the decision making process do NOT score.

Point 2
Postconventional moral reasoning:

Responses should explain that this stage reflects universal or abstract ethical principles, such as the greater
good or justice, as opposed to simply following rules/laws or avoiding punishment/gaining rewards.
SCORE
Example:
• “He is able to think about this ethical dilemma abstractly and keeps the money.”
DO NOT SCORE
Example:
• “At Kent’s age, he should be deciding whether giving back the money is the right or wrong thing
to do.”

Point 3
Antisocial personality disorder:

Responses should explain that someone with this disorder has increased impulsivity and hedonism, or lacks
guilt, empathy, or regard for the rights of others. The response must describe how the presence or absence of
ASPD would affect how Kent makes the decision.
SCORE
Example:
• “Keith, Kent’s brother, has ASPD and lacks empathy and convinces him not to return the money.”
DO NOT SCORE
Example:
• “Because Kent is shy, he will not tell the police that he found the money.”

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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 2 (continued)

Point 4
Evolutionary psychology:

Responses should include an explanation of engaging in behaviors either that 1) were evolutionarily selected
for in previous generations or 2) contribute to survival of the species, including passing on his genes or
increasing odds of his offsprings’ survival.
SCORE
Examples:
• “If Kent’s family is poor, Kent would keep the money to help make sure that his family is going to
survive.”
• “Evolutionary psychology says that we as humans inherit traits. Kent gives back the money
because his ancestors were moral and he has that gene.”
DO NOT SCORE:
Examples:
• “Evolutionary psychology’s aspect of survival of the fittest leads Kent to keep the money to buy
food.”
• “Evolutionary psychology says that humans change over time. If Kent is more selfish, he might
keep the money.”
NOTE: Responses that include reciprocal helping do score.

Point 5
Cognitive dissonance:

Responses should explain both the discrepancy between thoughts and/or behaviors, as well as the anxiety,
discomfort, or uneasiness that comes from that discrepancy.
SCORE
Example:
• “Kent felt stress because he knew he should give back the money but he also knows that he
could really use the money to pay for college.”
DO NOT SCORE
Examples:
• “Kent knows it is wrong to keep the money but he really wants to keep it anyway.”
• “Kent’s family tells him to give back the money but he wants to keep it. He knows his family will
be disappointed that he kept it.”

Point 6
Incentive theory:

Responses should explain that extrinsic/external rewards have a direct impact on people’s behavior. This
incentive can be tied to either keeping or giving back the money. The extrinsic reward must be something
other than the found money itself.
SCORE
Example:
• “Suzy tells Kent that if he keeps the money, she will go on a date with him. This causes Kent to keep
the money.”
• “Because the authorities haven’t offered a finder’s fee for the money, he does not return it.”
DO NOT SCORE
Example:
• “Due to the incentive theory, Kent keeps the money as a reward.”
© 2017 The College Board.
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 AP® PSYCHOLOGY
2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 2 (continued)

Point 7
Groupthink:

Responses should explain that Kent’s decision making is impaired or affected because the
group/family discussion is driven by maintaining consensus or group harmony rather than critical or
rational thinking. Responses that describe Kent attempting to avoid the effects of groupthink also
score.
SCORE
Examples:
• “Kent wants to make a good decision but everyone seems to just agree with each other rather
than thinking logically.”
• “Kent told the members of the family to give their honest opinions even if they end up getting
mad because he wants to make the best decision.”
DO NOT SCORE
Examples:
• “Kent’s family all agree that he should keep the money so he does.”
• “All of Kent’s family members give their advice on the situation and from that, he gave back the
money.”
NOTE: Responses that reference conformity alone do NOT score.

© 2017 The College Board.

Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.